Reason #112
I went to another concert tonight with my mom and my sister-in-law. A much needed girls' night and a perfect way to wrap up the week. I have been incredibly fortunate to go to so many concerts over the past 7 months. In fact, I have been to 5 concerts in 7 months. I don't think that high number is a coincidence either. As you know, by now, God speaks to me so powerfully through music, and you think I'd remember to take a few tissues with me when I attend these concerts. Nothing is more uplifting and refreshing for the spirit than to be surrounded by fellow believers, fellow travelers, singing praises to the One who is leading us home. In fact, I am pretty sure these little concerts are just tiny glimpses of Heaven. Seriously, I can't wait to stand before Him and just continuously sing His praises.
Well, I spent most of the concert with a lump in my throat and blurry vision. My heart was just so full. Overwhelmed by His love and goodness. And I'm still so amazed at how good He is to me. I'm amazed at how much He loves me. After all that I've walked through, and after spending many years of my life with Him, I don't know why this still comes as such a surprise to me. I'm so thankful for these little 4 hour breaks from life. These little escapes where I can forget what is or isn't going on and can refocus. I can just spend time delighting in His presence and being filled to the brim. And He knows I need it, too. He knows how I cherish these moments.
Earlier in the week, my mom shared with me a verse that the Lord had laid on her heart to pray over me. " I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:16-19)
And tonight, those words sunk in and I felt it as much as I possibly could, as much as humanly possible. An understanding of that wide, long, high, deep love. An unchanging love but a love that I often times don't accept. You see, the enemy does a good job of helping me limit myself to fully comprehending and receiving God's love in all its fullness. Although the Healer is healing, the enemy makes sure to remind how hurt I have been . I am greatly loved by the One who is love, but he enemy convinces me that I am greatly unlovable. He paid the highest price for me, but the enemy tells me how worthless I am . He is my strength, but the enemy finds a way to point out my weak spots. I am created in His image, but the enemy makes sure I notice every undesirable flaw. But tonight, the enemy was no where near. For at the sound of His name, the accuser has to flee. And so, in the presence of the Most High God, in the shelter of the Almighty, far from firey arrows, I could feel it.
This love, it is too great for me to fully understand. Words can't describe it. My human mind can't wrap itself around it. And I realize that He allows me these little glimpses because He wants me to understand that I can experience this all the time. Even under enemy fire, I can experience this love. Maybe, when I am under enemy fire, I need to jump feet first into the depth of this love so that it will cover me. Drown in it. Don't come up for air but go deeper, stay longer. Be surrounded by it. Immersed in it.
And so I don't want to limit myself to His love. I don't want to deny myself that experience, either. Maybe I won't be able to fully understand it on this side of Heaven, but I think I'm going to try and give it a shot.
#112 - Because He overwhelms me with His love!
"Praise the Lord, for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love." - Psalm 31:21
Well, I spent most of the concert with a lump in my throat and blurry vision. My heart was just so full. Overwhelmed by His love and goodness. And I'm still so amazed at how good He is to me. I'm amazed at how much He loves me. After all that I've walked through, and after spending many years of my life with Him, I don't know why this still comes as such a surprise to me. I'm so thankful for these little 4 hour breaks from life. These little escapes where I can forget what is or isn't going on and can refocus. I can just spend time delighting in His presence and being filled to the brim. And He knows I need it, too. He knows how I cherish these moments.
Earlier in the week, my mom shared with me a verse that the Lord had laid on her heart to pray over me. " I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:16-19)
And tonight, those words sunk in and I felt it as much as I possibly could, as much as humanly possible. An understanding of that wide, long, high, deep love. An unchanging love but a love that I often times don't accept. You see, the enemy does a good job of helping me limit myself to fully comprehending and receiving God's love in all its fullness. Although the Healer is healing, the enemy makes sure to remind how hurt I have been . I am greatly loved by the One who is love, but he enemy convinces me that I am greatly unlovable. He paid the highest price for me, but the enemy tells me how worthless I am . He is my strength, but the enemy finds a way to point out my weak spots. I am created in His image, but the enemy makes sure I notice every undesirable flaw. But tonight, the enemy was no where near. For at the sound of His name, the accuser has to flee. And so, in the presence of the Most High God, in the shelter of the Almighty, far from firey arrows, I could feel it.
This love, it is too great for me to fully understand. Words can't describe it. My human mind can't wrap itself around it. And I realize that He allows me these little glimpses because He wants me to understand that I can experience this all the time. Even under enemy fire, I can experience this love. Maybe, when I am under enemy fire, I need to jump feet first into the depth of this love so that it will cover me. Drown in it. Don't come up for air but go deeper, stay longer. Be surrounded by it. Immersed in it.
And so I don't want to limit myself to His love. I don't want to deny myself that experience, either. Maybe I won't be able to fully understand it on this side of Heaven, but I think I'm going to try and give it a shot.
#112 - Because He overwhelms me with His love!
"Praise the Lord, for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love." - Psalm 31:21
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